The invention relates generally to fashion accessories and more particularly to a stylish elastic band capable of being worn with a variety of different clothing styles on virtually any part of the body.
Elastic bands are well known and typically made in numerous sizes to accommodate a variety of accessory devices. For example, it is well known to use a small, annular elastic member to maintain a user""s hair atop his or her head. Elastic bands are also commonly used as the core components of covered headbands to securely accommodate a wearer""s head size. Conventional elastic bands alone, however, are often very unappealing to the eye, requiring an outer covering formed of fabric or other material. This material can add expense to the cost of manufacturing fashionable elastic band accessories, such as headbands, wristbands, and legbands. Additionally, covering an elastic band with any material will lessen the valuable gripping (non-slip) properties of the elastic band, and may result in a band that is easily dislodged from the desired area of placement. This is particularly true in the case of headbands.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a fashionable elastic band accessory having an attractive outer face, so that there is no need to cover the surface with a layer of additional fabric or coating material.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an elastic band having more effective non-slip properties than conventional accessory bands made with cores of elastic material.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an accessory that is uncomplicated and inexpensive to manufacture.
In accordance with the present invention an elastic fashion accessory band having an attractive design is provided. The band is constructed from an elongated body of elastic material, typically knitted or woven, having an outer face and opposing ends. The ends of the body are converged, disposed in overlapping or abutting relation to each other and coupled together to form an annular-shaped elastic accessory having the ability to expand and retract.
In accordance with more specific features of the invention, the elastic material is provided with an attractive design, for example one or more circumferential stripe-like designs constructed or printed on the face of the elastic material. The face of the elastic accessory band preferably is further decorated with a label, for example, which may identify the source of the unique article of manufacture, while simultaneously concealing the point of attachment of the opposing ends.